HMS Maidstone (1758)

HMS Maidstone was a 28-gun Coventry-class sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1758 and taken to pieces in 1794.

Construction
The vessel was named after Maidstone, a county town in Kent, England, 32 mi south-east of London. In selecting her name the Board of Admiralty continued a tradition dating to 1644 of using geographic features for ship names; overall, ten of the nineteen Coventry-class vessels were named after well-known regions, rivers or towns. With few exceptions the remainder of the class were named after figures from classical antiquity, following a more modern trend initiated in 1748 by John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich in his capacity as First Lord of the Admiralty.

In sailing qualities Maidstone was broadly comparable with French frigates of equivalent size, but with a shorter and sturdier hull and greater weight in her broadside guns. She was also comparatively broad-beamed with ample space for provisions and the ship's mess, and incorporating a large magazine for powder and round shot. Taken together, these characteristics would enable Maidstone to remain at sea for long periods without resupply. She was also built with broad and heavy masts, which balanced the weight of her hull, improved stability in rough weather and made her capable of carrying a greater quantity of sail. The disadvantages of this comparatively heavy design were a decline in manoeuvrability and slower speed when sailing in light winds.

Her designated complement was 200, comprising two commissioned officers – a captain and a lieutenant – overseeing 40 warrant and petty officers, 91 naval ratings, 38 Marines, and 29 servants and other ranks. Among these other ranks were four positions reserved for widow's men – fictitious crew members whose pay was intended to be reallocated to the families of sailors who died at sea.

Service
Sometime in 1776, probably late in 1776 under the command of Alan Gardner, she captured schooner "Nancy". On 4 November, 1776 she captured brig "Yarmouth". On 10 November, she captured schooner "Polly" and sloop "Betsy". On 12 November she captured sloop "Pacificate". On 20 November she captured schooner "Marianna". She also captured on unknown date between late November and early December, 1776 sloop "Postillion". Between December, 1776 and early March, 1777 she captured on unknown dates brig "Hazard" and sloop "Reliance". On 20 April 1778 she captured Rhode Island privateer sloop Greenwich off New England. On 10 May 1778 recaptured sloop "Nancy" at (40.43333°N, -68.26667°W). On 12 May 1778 captured, with HMS Apollo, schooner "Jack & Harry" off Nantucket.